AI Governance Fund Lead
Astralis Foundation
📍 Remote (Global) 🕔 Full Time
💰$90-$130,000/yr + benefits 🔄 Rolling Applications
We are seeking an exceptional leader to join Astralis Foundation, to take our Shared Horizons fund - a philanthropic initiative focused on International AI Governance - from the piloting stage to the scaling stage. The successful MVP has resulted in $5.8M raised and deployed from five donors, with grants made to 11 high-impact organizations. Your primary focus will be on deploying capital as strategically and cost-effectively as possible, with responsibility for sourcing, evaluating, and managing a portfolio of high-impact grants. You'll also support the Impact Advising team with fundraising by making compelling cases for funding opportunities to new and existing donors, with a goal of deploying $15M next year. Additionally, you will also advise another $10-20M of grants outside the fund's scope.
This role offers the rare opportunity to shape AI governance funding strategy in critical jurisdictions where European capital commands a premium and independent funding is particularly valuable. Our 3-year ambition is to be the leading non-US grantmaker for International AIG.
The ideal candidate brings domain expertise in Europe and/or China, strong strategic instincts, and a laser-sharp focus on impact. You're someone who thrives on autonomy, can navigate complex policy landscapes, and wants to raise and deploy significant capital where it matters most. The position is remote with current team members being in London, Stockholm, Vienna and New York. This is a full-time position to start as soon as possible.
About Astralis
Astralis Foundation is a European-based multi-donor foundation focused on launching & scaling ambitious initiatives for the secure & beneficial development of AI. Astralis unites impact funders, domain experts, and social entrepreneurs.
We leverage our unique position in the AI safety funding ecosystem – as a new, multidonor, Europe-based venture funder & advisor with strong family office connections – to do the most good by unlocking new sources of philanthropic capital and deploying where others can’t. So far, we have raised >$20m for AIS from 15 entrepreneurial donors, and quickly deployed this capital to 14 organizations.
The Shared Horizons fund represents our most significant initiative to date: a dedicated vehicle for international AI governance.
Role Description
As International AI Governance Fund Lead, you will lead strategic grantmaking for international AI governance with primary focus on European and Chinese policy ecosystems while also working on sourcing ad-hoc opportunities for donors across the AIS ecosystem. You'll work closely with our CEO (Jona) and President (Vilhelm) to identify high-leverage funding opportunities, cultivate relationships with policymakers and think tanks, and build Astralis's reputation as a sophisticated European funder in this space.
This role requires comfort with ambiguity and building new systems. You'll have significant autonomy to shape strategy, identify emerging opportunities, and make bold bets in a rapidly evolving landscape. Success means tripling the amount of money raised and deployed next year.
Key Responsibilities
Grantmaking & Portfolio Management
Lead end-to-end grantmaking: sourcing, due diligence, decision-making and org-wide Monitoring and Evaluation
Make strategic decisions on grants ranging from $50K exploratory grants to $2M+ multi-year commitments, balancing donor and impact considerations
Build and maintain relationships with grantees, ensuring effective program delivery
Conduct rigorous evaluation of funding opportunities, distinguishing signal from noise in a crowded field
Represent Astralis at key conferences, convenings, and strategic meetings
Do active grantmaking, if it is the highest impact use of your time
Strategic Leadership
Own the strategic vision and deployment strategy for the Shared Horizons fund
Identify and cultivate high-impact funding opportunities in International AI governance
Develop Astralis's independent expertise in international AI governance, reducing reliance on external recommendations
Become the thought-leading grantmaker in the space, supporting other foundations
Decide on whether the Fund should remain within Astralis or spin out as an Independent fund like the AI Safety Tactical Opportunities Fund
Fund Management and Donor Relations
Present grantmaking recommendations and portfolio updates to donors, representing the fund as subject matter expert
Author fund letters and donor updates showcasing impact, lessons learned, and emerging opportunities
Engage actively at donor events and convenings to build relationships and fund visibility
Identify high-potential funding opportunities that align with the fund's strategy and donor interests
Why This Role Might Be High-Impact
International AI governance will be decisive in determining whether transformative AI systems are developed safely and benefit humanity broadly. European and Chinese regulatory approaches will significantly shape global AI development, yet philanthropic capital and expertise in these regions remain scarce relative to their importance.
As our International AI governance Fund Lead, you'll deploy significant resources in areas where funding gaps are acute and European funding sources command a premium. You'll have the autonomy to make bold strategic bets—whether seeding new organizations, supporting critical but underfunded research, or enabling key policy actors at decisive moments. Your work will directly strengthen the organizations and individuals shaping AI policy in jurisdictions that will influence global trajectories.
Key Qualifications
Essential Requirements
3+ years of experience in European and/or Chinese AI governance leading significant initiatives in policy, research, or advocacy organizations (think tank director, senior policy advisor, or equivalent)
Senior network in European and/or Chinese AI policy communities
Understanding of technical AI safety concepts and their policy implications
Proven ability to communicate complex strategic decisions clearly to stakeholders
Demonstrated strategic thinking and obsession about impact
Strong written and verbal communication skills in English
Self-directed execution ability
Strongly Preferred
Experience managing grantmaking, venture capital, or comparable resource allocation
Experience working in early-stage or entrepreneurial environments
Track record of building something new or taking strategic bets that paid off
What We Are Looking For
Impact Focus and Judgment: You can distinguish between what's important and what's merely urgent, identify leverage points, and make bold calls with incomplete information. You update your views based on evidence but have conviction about core principles.
Domain Authority: You have genuine expertise and credibility in European and/or Chinese AI governance. You can assess organisational quality and identify talent. You understand what's actually happening, what matters most versus what's being reported.
Entrepreneurial Execution: You thrive on autonomy, comfortable with ambiguity, willing to experiment, and can ship quickly. You don't wait for perfect processes—you build them as you go.
High Standards: You have a bias toward excellence and are willing to wait for the right opportunities rather than deploy capital for the sake of hitting targets. You care deeply about impact per dollar, not just dollars moved.
Cultural Alignment: You're earnestly altruistic, evidence-led, and focused on results. You invest in becoming world-class at what you do. You're comfortable with rapid iteration and killing projects that aren't working.
Relationship Excellence: You build trust through authentic engagement and consistent delivery. With donors, you communicate complex ideas clearly and make them confident in your judgment. With grantees, you balance supportive partnership with rigorous standards—direct about concerns, generous with strategic thinking, and skilled at navigating difficult conversations.
Location, Compensation, and Benefits
Location
Remote, with preference for candidates in Brussels, London, Stockholm, China, Singapore or Vienna. You will likely need to travel approximately 6 weeks per year for team retreats, conferences, meetings, etc..
Compensation
Salary: $90,000 - $130,000 annually for a London Employee:
Salary is adapted based on location and relevance-adjusted experience
We may consider salaries outside this range for exceptional candidates
If our salary range is a limiting factor, please reach out to discuss
Benefits
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
$4,000 annual professional development allowance
Relocation costs as necessary
Competitive pension or retirement contribution
Competitive parental leave benefits and support
25 days of paid vacation time, plus public holidays
Application Process
We will review and advance candidates on a rolling basis. Our process is designed to be flexible and efficient:
Submit a brief application here
Paid work tasks
1-2 interviews
Paid 1-day remote work trial
Paid 2-3 day in-person work trial
Reference & Background check
Offer
We are committed to fostering a culture of inclusion and encourage individuals with diverse backgrounds to apply. We particularly welcome applications from underrepresented groups and will provide accommodations as needed.
We will provide extensive opportunities for you to learn what you need to know about the role, our staff, projects, and leadership. Please let us know what questions you have, and we will do our best to answer them.
For questions, please contact nathaniel@astralisfoundation.org.
